Wanted and Vodacom Red are giving one reader a chance to win a VIP getaway for two to the Vodacom Durban July worth R70,000 – to celebrate David Tlale’s new collection in partnership with Vodacom Red

Most Read

Wanted Magazine

This June, we share our Little Black Book of Secrets

Words:
Jacquie Myburgh Chemaly

15 June 2018

Jacquie Myburgh Chemaly
Image:
Supplied

ED’S LETTER | CONSERVING THE CURATORS

When Malcolm Gladwell reminded us about the meaning of a maven in his book The Tipping Point, he must surely have had some of his journalist acquaintances in mind. Because, with apologies to Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a person in need of a restaurant suggestion, will phone a journalist friend, relative, or acquaintance.

If I had R100 for every phone call or WhatsApp message to this effect, I would most definitely be writing this column from the beach in Acapulco.

The front-row privileges of being in the media mean that we certainly are privy to more info than most people — and that’s why we’ve made it our civic duty, in the Wanted world, to dedicate one month of the year to sharing our Little Black Book of Secrets with our readers.

The art of compiling a useful little black book, is knowing some mavens and when travel writer Debbie Hathway told me that she had been to Mauritius so many times that she had a dodo tattooed on her shoulder, I realised we were dealing with a true insider.

This is, therefore, our mission: to find those people who have knowledge far beyond the obvious and who are prepared to share it. After all, we live in an age where most knowledge is a smartphone button away, but where do we go if we need informed information, the type that understands our personal taste and needs?

The next big shift in the way we live is the AI tidal wave and the likelihood that robots will be taking over many roles played by us mere mortals. I like to think that the curation of good taste, timeless style. and priceless art is not something a machine could be trained to do in a hurry. But hey, you never know, I could have asked Siri to write this column!